I had the unexpected chance of a catch-up with Nikki Ann Sanderson when she turned up at Fibre on a quiet Thursday night.
I was just minding my own business for once, chilling out with some friends, when in she trooped with a crowd of fellow Heartbeat cast members.
Blackpool-born Nikki, 23, is best known for playing Candice Stowe in Coronation Street but she joined Heartbeat this year to play the part of Dawn Bellamy.
So she's now based in Leeds for the next few months, staying in a nice apartment near the city centre as she spends long days at the YTV studios and on location in the Yorkshire countryside, no-doubt togged up in funky 1960s outfits.
I first met her at Party In The Park in Leeds in 2006, which she co-hosted with Brian Dowling. In and around the acting she's been building up her career as a presenter too, not to mention the fact that she's a great singer too. I can't forget her impression of LeAnne Rimes on Stars In Their Eyes!
Nikki turned up dressed all in white, looking tinier than you'd expect. I treated her to a vodka and diet coke and asked her how she was. She's very giggly and actually pretty shy.
The group hardly attracted any attention which is proof that you can be a familiar face and still get out and about without needing 20 minders with you.
I'm a massive fan of Coronation Street, I love how it combines realism with comedy and it's always upbeat - EastEnders, I just have to switch it off, I can't bear the misery. I've always found Heartbeat a bit old and a bit slow, so I'm counting on Nikki to liven it up.
"I'm just finding my feet in Leeds," she said. Gesturing to all her Heartbeat mates, she said: "I'm relying on these guys to show me round the city. Depending on work, I'm going to be out quite a bit. I'm really excited to be in Heartbeat and I'm really excited to be in Leeds."
Anyone who works in TV drama will complain about having to be on set at 5am and still perfecting their scenes at 8pm so be careful, Nikki, you don't want to be working long days with a hangover, love!
Can I get my Champagne back please?
I bought two diamond-encrusted magnums of Champagne at the airport in Thailand, but when I changed planes at Amsterdam to come to Leeds, they wouldn't let me take them through the scanning system.
I'd spent over £100 and I was extremely annoyed. I had to think quickly, if I wasn't going to be forced to bin them. I put them down in a shop in their bag, and went to board the flight. From the departure lounge, I phoned the shop saying: "I've just left these by mistake, but I'm about to get on the plane so I can't come back for them."
They said: "Ooh yes we've just found them, we'll keep them in lost property for you until you return to Amsterdam."
So, a few weeks later, I picked them up. I was finally reunited with my Champagne. It was deeply frustrating. How can airport shops justify selling stuff that you might not be allowed to take on a plane?
Watching Loose Women the other day, from what Jane McDonald was saying, it happens all the time - Jane and the other guests were recounting having to junk bags of expensive make-up and toiletries. What a waste, and what a disgrace!
It's true, I'm no culture vulture
Last week's column in which I described embarrassing myself by leaping up before the credits had roled at the end of a RADA screening of Sweeney Todd, while all the actorly types waited intently until the proper close of the movie, raised a few laughs.
My friend Dennis reminded me of a time when Michael and me had gone for a long weekend in New York and decided we had to catch a show. We bought tickets for Les Miserables, because that seemed to be the big one, and as ever we were running late as we raced into a restaurant for a pre-performance meal.
We ordered a set three courses but didn't have time for dessert. "We'll be back later for that," I said jokingly to the waitress. She said: "That's cool, lots of people come back for their dessert after they've been to the theatre." So we said: "Great, see you later!" and legged it.
Anyway, we found Les Miserables pretty dull and made a bee-line for the exit as soon as the curtain fell. Others were heading that way and I was really pleased we managed to get a cab before anyone else. When we got to the restaurant it was deserted. "Why are you back so early?" said the waitress, surprised. "The show's finished," we said. "Are you sure you haven't left at the interval?" she asked.
No wonder we'd managed to hail our taxi, everyone else was just heading out for a smoke! We'd left halfway through and not realised. Dennis called me a 'philistine' then and a 'philistine' now for my latest cultural gaffe. Oh well, I never claimed to be Melvyn Bragg!
Mark's triumph
Huddersfield policeman and former Mr Gay UK Mark Carter did brilliantly at the Mr Gay International contest in Hollywood - he was placed third out of 21 contenders. The Winner was Mr Argentina. What a result! All that time at the gym paid off!